WELLINGTON NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 21 January 1924, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES

POETICAL SITUATION AT HOMI*

INTEREST IN WEB I NOTON. [Special To The Guardian.] WELLINGTON, Jan. 18. The developments of the political Hitnation at Home are naturally arousing much, interest in tile political capital of the Dominion. The situation itself is very similar to the one that arose here as a result of the general election of thirteen months ago. The Conservatives have returned from the constituencies with the largest number of members, just as Reformers did here : but the Labourites and the Liberals together have a majority of the votes in the House of Commons, just as the Liberals and the Labourites here have a majority of the votes in the House of Representatives. Tbe only material differences between the two situations are that the Conservative minority at Home is slightly more pronounced than the Reform minority here, and that the Labourites, returning with the greater number of supporters, constitute the official Opposition in the House of Commons, while the Liberals, for the same reason constitute the official Opposit ion in the House of Reppresenta lives. The developments of the similar positions in the two eouiiti ies, however. are very different. At Home the Labourites and the Liberals moved in harmony so far as the proceedings for the ejection of the Conservative, from office Wits concerned. In the Dominion the Labourites ret used to idly thcm.-.olve> with the Liberals for iiiiv purpose. THE Til RUE PARTIES. This is not the place to discuss the propriety or the patriotism ol the course pursued by any of the parties after the indecisive elections of 19--; lint some of the views expresod by active and passive politicaiis become additionally interesting in the light of tie results and developments of the Home election. The Minister of Education, reiterating what has been said liv Ids colleagues again ami again, denounces the third parly system as the root of all political and party evils. There can be neither good government nor effective ndminsfration, lie says, so long as iliev are made matters ol compromise, as they must. be under the three party system. lint, a prominent proportinal repp--eolation-ist retort,, the eounlry should have net merely three parties, hut ten or even twenty, so that the government and admins! rat ion should he the joint labour of the best brains and best hands in the country and not the unsatisfactory fruits of the parly conspiring mid intriguing of perhaps one limn, and at the most ol half-a-du/.cu. Between these two extreme views arc many others, some favouring one school and some another ; lint there appears to he a general eoncenus of opinion that the simple two party system has gone for ever and that the politicians will have to endure its successor whh what grace they limy. THE LIBERAL TASK.

The local papers are not pleased by what, is happening at Home. But the "Dominion " after deploring the result of the election is disposed to make the best of a had job. "Olive in office and saddled with responsihilii y". it -ays, "Labour no doubt will liml it int-po--ibie even to shape proposals prom i-:eg a:':-,- speedy solution of lie--, li-ei-e and foreign problems. \ I'i'iii in iiilii-c might do -omeiliing lo edit- • etc the member, of tbe Labour Party. 1 1 roi't.-'iiby would, educate and uilighten the public, and teach it to dis-iii-..aisb hetweii realities and political tall ia!!-.." This is the vie- 1 . , noth Reformers and Liberals in tin- oiiin try. There is nothing like respon-Ih iiii v under ihe British consul anon for taming the wild Socialist. Itnl the "Dominion" a ill not allow .ho 1 di ends have as mu.-h r-u on t l-i Conservative;- Le lo: hoping that ; term of eh"'■':!! hoe 1 alntaiy i.l feet upon Lat’otis. 'Do its election policy," it says i:i concluding its examination of the position, "the Liiiera! Party is will placed to co-operate in forwarding these measures ;o i<lt‘ve iiiieiuployment in Britain and promote Umpire trade and development, a- i; is badly placed to co-operate vuiiihe party of nationalisation and Capital Levy". Tbe friends of tbe Liberal Party here bold that it is so veil placed as to he master id’ the v.hoLposition. "( RUN OF THU POSITION. 1

The ‘'Evening Post” writing with the advantages of having the outlines of Mr Ramsay MacDonald's and I ril'd Cray’s speeches before it, assumes a nii,re judicial tone. ■‘Under the uvopariy system", it says, "the British people hare as a rule been wonderfully successful in keeping the main issues of foreign policy oil a'plane above party strife. Can ilieir leaders early tin's spirit a little further lo meet the demands of the new situation and give effect to Lord Cray’s suggestion!-' If so. the disintregnlion of the old parly system might open the door for a non-party control of foreign policy. And if the Dominions and the Imperial Conference can ever he induced to give up ‘laihoa’ and marking time, and to face the full responsibilities of nationhood and constructive statesmanship, a. ,genuinely Imperial control of the Empire’s foreign policy might ultimately ho evolved.” Tile " Post ” does not like the idea of a Labour Government controlling the affairs of the British Empire, hut it does not despair of Air Ramsay .MacDonald and his colleagues listening to reason on foreign affairs, and conceding so mill'll admits the possibility of the Empire surviving the ordeal through which it: is passing. This is the bright side of the picture.